--- title: "Food Items You Should Never Feed Your Dog" id: "218756" type: "post" slug: "food-items-you-should-never-feed-your-dog" published_at: "2021-07-02T13:18:12+00:00" modified_at: "2021-07-02T13:18:12+00:00" url: "https://petlandmerrillville.com/food-items-you-should-never-feed-your-dog/" markdown_url: "https://petlandmerrillville.com/food-items-you-should-never-feed-your-dog.md" excerpt: "You love your pup dearly and want to give her the best in the world; from the best toys to the tastiest treats.As a dog parent, it’s important to feed your pup healthy foods and it is crucial to know..." taxonomy_category: - "Tips & Tricks" --- [Home](https://petlandmerrillville.com/) / [Blog](https://petlandmerrillville.com/blog/) / [Tips & Tricks](https://petlandmerrillville.com/category/blog/) / **Food Items You Should Never Feed Your Dog** [Tips & Tricks](https://petlandmerrillville.com/category/blog/) # Food Items You Should Never Feed Your Dog July 2, 2021 · 3 min read · Petland Merrillville, IN [Stay connected via Google News Follow us for the latest pet updates and guides.](https://www.google.com/preferences/source?q=petlandmerrillville.com) You love your pup dearly and want to give her the best in the world; from the best toys to the tastiest treats. As a dog parent, it’s important to feed your pup healthy foods and it is crucial to know what foods NOT to give them. In this article, we’ll be talking about 5 food items that you should never feed your dog. 1. **Avocado** Avocado is healthy for humans because of the omega fatty acids it has. But avocado also contains a toxin called persin that is dangerous for your pet. Dogs can develop breathing difficulties, stomach pains, and fluid buildup in the chest. The avocado pit is the most dangerous part of the avocado as it can cause a choking hazard and is loaded with persin. Next time you reach for an avocado, make sure it’s nowhere near your fur baby. 1. **Grapes And Raisins** Never feed your dog raisins and grapes. Not even a few. They can cause rapid kidney failure, and even a small amount can send your buddy to the ER. The exact mechanism and toxic substance behind this kidney failure are still unknown, but over 30% of dogs are victims of this every year.The initial signs of ingestion are usually vomiting, fatigue and diarrhea. Enjoying this read? You'll love our puppies. Adorable, vet-checked pups looking for their forever homes — available now. [Meet our puppies](https://petlandmerrillville.com/puppies-for-sale/) So, it’s best to keep bowls of grapes, breakfast cereals, and raisin cookies (raisins are basically dried grapes) out of their little paws’ reach. 1. **Chocolate** If you open a brand new chocolate bar, your baby pooch will come running to you. Yes, they love chocolate but chocolate is one of the most dangerous foods to feed your dogs even in moderate quantities. They contain theobromine and caffeine that are easily metabolized by humans but not dogs. The slow metabolism allows buildup to toxic levels and can cause diarrhea, stomach pains, and vomiting. The severity of these side effects will depend on the size of your pup, and the type of chocolate ingested. The darker the chocolate is, the more dangerous it is for your fur baby; this places white and milk chocolate as the least toxic. Taking in too much chocolate could lead to tremors, internal bleeding, seizures, and even worse. We suggest avoiding it all together. 1. **Chewing Gum, Toothpaste, And Candy** Have you thought of your pup smacking away at chewing gum? Funny, right? Honestly, not so much. Chewing gum, candies and even toothpaste contain an artificial sweetener called Xylitol that is lethal to dogs. Still reading? Our puppies are waiting. Healthy, happy pups ready to meet their families — see who's available today. [Meet our puppies](https://petlandmerrillville.com/puppies-for-sale/) It causes a rush of insulin and a significant drop in blood sugar. Symptoms can start within 30 minutes of ingestion. These include weakness, vomiting, seizures, and even coma. According to experts, chewing gum containing Xylitol is a hundred times more dangerous than chewing regular gum. 1. **Garlic And Onions** Garlic and onions are two combinations that are guaranteed to give you dragon’s breath, but they do more than that to your dogs. Onions contain substances that cause irritation in their gastrointestinal tracts and damage their red blood cells. If the onions are a lot, it could lead to anemia. Garlic has the same effects as onions but is considered five times potent than onions. It causes oxidative damage to the red blood cells, nausea, weakness, irritation, and elevated heart rate. Other foods that could possess a threat to your fur baby include: - Alcohol - Salty foods and snacks - Fruit seeds (peach, plum, apple, cherry) - Macadamia Nuts - Raw meat and fish We suggest asking your veterinarian for a list of approved, pet-friendly, human foods before sharing snacks and meals with your furry friend. 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